IN-WHEEL MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20200130497A1
• Filed: 08/26/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: KATAYAMA, Masaaki
• Granted Patent: US 11,104,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/00 Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/354 having separate mechanical assemblies for transmitting drive to the front or to the rear wheels or set of wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/356 having fluid or electric motor, for driving one or more wheels disposition of motor in, or adjacent to, traction wheel B60K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/003 with means for cooling the electrical propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0007 the motor being electric
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/225 Terminal boxes or connection arrangements specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1846 structurally associated with wheels or associated parts dynamos arranged in the wheel hub of cycles B62J6/12
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

The vehicle includes a pair of power control units (PCUs) provided corresponding to each of a pair of in-wheel motors. The pair of PCUs include two PCUs having a common structure. The PCU includes a cuboid housing, an MG terminal provided on a first side surface of the cuboid housing, and a battery terminal provided on a second side surface orthogonal to the first side surface. Each of the pair of power control units is arranged such that each of the MG terminals faces a vehicle width direction in which a corresponding in-wheel motor is located and each of the battery terminals faces a same direction in a vehicle front-rear direction.

Claims

1. An in-wheel motor vehicle comprising:

a pair of in-wheel motors provided corresponding to each of a pair of wheels;

a battery for storing electric power for driving the pair of in-wheel motors; and

a pair of power control units provided corresponding to each of the pair of in-wheel motors, the pair of power control units including two power control units having a common structure,

wherein the power control unit comprises

a cuboid housing,

an MG terminal provided on a first side surface of the cuboid housing, for connecting an MG cable connected to the in-wheel motor, and

a battery terminal provided on a second side surface orthogonal to the first side surface, for connecting a battery cable connected to the battery, and

wherein each of the pair of power control units is arranged such that each of the MG terminals faces a vehicle width direction in which a corresponding in-wheel motor is located and each of the battery terminals faces a same direction in a vehicle front-rear direction.

2. The in-wheel motor vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the pair of power control units are arranged so that opposite side surfaces are in contact with each other.

3. The in-wheel motor vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the power control unit comprises

a cooler provided inside, and

a connection port provided on a side surface opposite to the second side surface, for connecting between the cooler and an external pipe.

4. The in-wheel motor vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein each of the pair of power control units is arranged such that each of the battery terminals face in a direction in which the battery is arranged.

5. The in-wheel motor vehicle of claim 1,

wherein the vehicle comprises

two sets of the pair of in-wheel motors, and

two sets of the pair of power control units.

6. An in-wheel motor vehicle comprising:

a pair of in-wheel motors provided corresponding to each of a pair of wheels;

a battery for storing electric power for driving the pair of in-wheel motors; and

a pair of power control units provided corresponding to each of the pair of in-wheel motors, the pair of power control units including two power control units having a common structure,

wherein the power control unit comprises

a cuboid housing,

an MG terminal provided on a first side surface of the cuboid housing, for connecting an MG cable connected to the in-wheel motor, and

a battery terminal provided on an upper surface orthogonal to the first side surface, for connecting a battery cable connected to the battery,

wherein the battery terminal is configured to connect the MG cable in arbitrary direction along the upper surface, and

wherein each of the pair of power control units is arranged such that each of the battery terminals faces a same direction in a vertical direction and each of the MG terminals faces a vehicle width direction in which a corresponding in-wheel motor is located.

7. The in-wheel motor vehicle according to claim 6,

wherein the pair of power control units are arranged so that opposite side surfaces are in contact with each other.

8. The in-wheel motor vehicle according to claim 6,

wherein the power control unit comprises

a cooler provided inside, and

a connection port provided on a bottom surface opposite to the upper side surface, for connecting between the cooler and an external pipe, and

wherein the connection port is configured to connect the external pipe in arbitrary direction along the bottom surface.